Undivided Andhra Pradesh to vote for last time

Andhra Pradesh, which will be bifurcated into Telangana and residuary Andhra Pradesh on June 2, will vote undivided for the last time for the next central and state governmentsof 2014. While 10 districts of Telangana -- the region that will become a new state -- votes on April 30 for 119 assembly and 17 parliament seats, the other two regions of Seemandhra (Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema) will vote on May 7 for 175 assembly and 25 parliament seats.

The undivided Andhra Pradesh has 42 parliamentary seats and 294 assembly seats.

While results for the elections will be declared on May 16, the old and new states will get their chief ministers only after June 2 since that's when Telangana will officially be founded as India's 29th state. "Whoever is elected MLA (state legislator) as per law will automatically become member of the state concerned," said chief election commissioner VS Sampath.

The election schedule announcement has poured water over the designs of the rebel chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy who was planning to launch his own political front to pursue his cause for Samaikyandhra.

Kiran, who resigned from the party as well as MLA and chief minister on February 19 after passage of Telangana Bill in parliament, has found the going tough with dwindling support of his MLAs and ministers, many of whom have jumped over to TDP and TRS. "Now any new party (including that of ex-CM Kiran Kumar Reddy) would not get recognition and they have to contest as independents," says election commissioner H S Brahma.